Find out what inspired Molly Harris to write "Whirby" below.
What was your inspiration behind your most recent book?
Many, many sleepless nights with a stubborn toddler gave me the idea for this story. I've always found that getting through to my children starts with finding something they can relate to, and at that moment in time, my 2-year-old son was all about robots. So one exhausting night, as he refused to wind down or stay in his bed, I said, "You know, even robots can't play all night long. If they don't plug into their chargers at night, then their batteries will run out of energy." My son perked up: "Then what happens to them?" So I explained, "Well, the next day they'll act really slow, and not really work right, and eventually they'll just... bzzzzzt bwomp. Break. Shut down. Until they charge up again." Once I had the premise, the story practically wrote itself. I'm happy to report that he is a fantastic sleeper today!
What does Reading Rainbow mean to you?
I think reading a book is the closest we can get to taking a walk in someone else's shoes. Reading really lets you into the psyche of another person in a way that I don't think any other medium can. You join a character on a journey, hear their inner thoughts, feel their emotions. And even if on the surface none of it mirrors anything in your own life, for a moment you tried to imagine what it would be like, and you found common ground within. So to me, reading with pride is being able to recognize and celebrate our shared humanity.
Why do you feel representation of a variety of people is so important when it comes to writing books?
It's very important to me that everyone and anyone can see themselves in the characters I create. I mostly write social-emotional learning (SEL) children's books, which means they are about emotional intelligence, empathy, self expression, etc. But when I write, I try very hard not to tell kids exactly what to do or how to fix their problems, because when you're dealing with a challenge in life, sometimes all you need to hear is "you're not alone." What I hope instead is to communicate that there are people out there just like you, there are people out there who care about you, and your feelings are valid. I also enjoy writing about non-human characters--my first was a sponge, this one is a robot, the next is a rocket--to keep these SEL themes universal and accessible to all.
Tell us a little more about the book and why you decided to write it.
Whirby is an energetic little robot who is really amped up for his favorite class in school: bot battles. He's so excited for his chance to compete that he stays up all night and neglects to charge his battery. The next day, his gizmos and gadgets start malfunctioning, his battery runs out of juice, and he sabotages himself in the ring. I thought the visual representation of a dwindling battery, plus a robot on the fritz, would serve as a perfect metaphor for kids to understand their own body's needs. Getting a proper rest is about more than just doing what you're told--it's also extremely beneficial to your mind, body, and capabilities. But major themes aside, like I mentioned before, my son loves robots, so I really wanted to create something that would be super fun for him!
What can fans expect from your book?
Expect clinking, clanging, beeping, banging... and a robot world you wish you lived in! I am so lucky to be paired with this book's incredible illustrator, Jacob Souva, who took a simple note ("Whirby is a robot who goes to robot school.") and turned out the most incredible, colorful, engaging universe. This is a bedtime book, yes, but it's also sure to be one of the most original stories on your shelf!
What's up next for you in the bookish world?
2026 is a busy year for me. After "Whirby," my third picture book comes out in the fall. It's called "I Need Space," written by me, illustrated by Jon Corby (who also art designed "Whirby!"), and published by Margaret K. McElderry Books. Get ready to relate to another inanimate object, because in this one, an overwhelmed rocket ship getting pushed around by rowdy meteors seriously needs to cool his jets.
